Aura Isn't Everything

Chapter 7: Jade

"YOU'LL NEVER BEAT ME OLD MAN!!!"

"Heh! You're nothin' but talk, kid!"

I rose an eyebrow as I opened Team RWBY's dorm room, looking in to see Qrow had gone to reunite with his nieces. Neo and Ilia were in the room as well, Blake at the iguana's side, as per usual with them being old friends. Weiss, as usual, was elsewhere, most likely with her sister. Team JNPR sat on her bed, watching Qrow and Ruby duke it out in a fighting game, which looked pretty amusing from where I was standing.

[Soaring Ninja wins! Total annihilation!]

Qrow laughed as he ruffled Ruby's hair.

"By the way. Don't EVER call me 'old'."

"My turn!"

Ruby went rolling away as Yang tackled the controller out of her hands.

[New Challenger Approaches.]

Qrow shook his head before turning to the screen. Before he spoke, the door finally creaked, allowing my presence to be known. I stepped into the room as everyone turned to me, looking around at them before grinning, saying the same thing I said to my sisters when I left the Edge.

"I'm back."

The next second found me on the ground in a dog pile, with those of RBY and JNPR, Janette included, on top of me. I grunted as I could feel Nora begin to creak my metal, which made me pat them.

"Alright, alright. Off of me already!"

Neo and Ilia helped them get up, allowing me space to breathe before hugging my neck from both sides contently, and more gently.

"Glad to see you're OK, Raymond."
"...~"

Yang whistled as I stood back up, hugging the two close myself.

"Look at you, big guy. I expected you to come back, but I didn't think you'd come back standing 6 feet and weighing 275 pounds of pure muscle."

"And metal."

I lifted up my exposed arm.

"Protocol 5 was a success. I'm back, and I'm bigger than ever, thankfully."

Ruby marveled at the arm, taking it into her own as she fawned over it from all angles. Pyrrha gave me worried glances, brushing her hand across the metal exposed at the side of my head.

"Oh, Raymond... I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be, Pyrrha. This wasn't you. You and I haven't talked very much, but I've seen your watchful eyes."

I petted her head as I walked past them, sitting down on the bed on Qrow's right. Ruby, Neo, Ilia, and Blake were quick to join me while Pyrrha sat in between my legs, leaning into my lap. The only one I was somewhat displeased to see here, but slowly forgiving and forgetting, was Janette, who sat across from me with Yang, Nora, and Ren. Yang took the controller back into her hands as Qrow huffed.

"Now, where was I?"
Ruby plopped her head on top of mine, looking down at Qrow.

"You were telling us about your last mission!"
"Right, right. I come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right."

Ruby tilted her head.

"What were you doing there?"

"I needed information. Tired from battling Grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's Inn. The place was crawling with low-lifes and thugs, even a few Huntsmen I could only assume had been hired by less than reputable people for less than respectable jobs. And that's when it happened."